1. vi. & vt.缔结；订契约　 make, settle or establish by contract
2. vt.染上恶习；染上疾病　 get bad habits; catch an illness
3. vi.缩小；紧缩　 make smaller; shrink

　～ one's body　缩作一团
　～ the book　约稿
　～ one's brows　皱眉头
　～ a project　承包工程
　～ advantageously　有利地承包
　～ legally　合法承包
　～ physically　自然地订立合约
　～ solemnly　严肃地缔结
　～ out　立即把工作等包出，退出合同、协议等
　～ for　订契约，承包，承建
　～ for a house　承包盖房屋
　～ out of　订约使自己不受…的约束，退出合同
　～ out of an agreement　订明不受契约限制
　～ to sb　许配给某人
　～ with　与…立约
　～ with a factory for machines　向某厂订购机器

　Earthworms can contract.　蚯蚓能缩小。
　Metal contracts as it becomes cool.　金属冷却时体积缩小。
　Bad habits are easy to contract.　坏习惯是很容易养成的。
　They've contracted an agreement.　他们缔结了一项协议。
　The two business contracted a merger.　这两家公司签约合并为一家。
　She contracted debts of 1000 yuan.　她负债一千元。
　He contracted huge debts by rash spending.　他由于乱花钱而背上沉重的债务。
　His hoarseness and coughing showed that he had contracted a cold.　他嗓音嘶哑又咳嗽，这表明他患了感冒。
　My son's contracted a severe fever.　我的儿子已患病，严重高烧。
　When you bend your elbow, you contract the muscles of the arm.　你屈肘时，手臂的肌肉收缩。
　By moving into smaller quarters he hoped shortly to contract his expenses.　他搬进了较小的住房，希望不久就会紧缩自己的开销。
　They have contracted to build a railway across Africa.　他们已立约承建一条穿越非洲的铁路。

 ♣ contract for　(v.+prep.)
　承建；承包，承办　offer one's price for making or supplying (sth)
　The builders have contracted for three bridges this year.　今年这些建筑工人已经承包了三座新桥梁。
 ♣ contract in　(v.+adv.)
　承诺参加　promise officially to take part in (an activity)
　How many of the companies have contracted in so far?　到目前为止已有多少公司承诺加入呢?
 ♣ contract out　(v.+adv.)
1. 包出（某事项或某工程） give (a job) by contract
　I don't want to be associated with your scheme; I'm contracting out.　我不想参与你们的计划；我要退出。
　The city council has already contracted out the work on the new road.　市政会已把这条新路的铺设工作包出去了。
2. 拒绝参加 refuse to join (in an agreement, etc.)
　Workers are permitted to contract out of the latest old-age insurance plan.　允许工人们不参加最近的老年保险计划。
 ♣ contract to　(v.+prep.)
　缩写成　abbreviate (sth) into (sth)
　In conversational English "is not" often contracts to "isn't".　英语口语中is not常缩写为isn't.
　"I am" is often contracted to "I'm".I am　常缩写成I'm.
 ♣ contract with　(v.+prep.)
1. 与（某人）订立（某种协议）；与（某人）建立（某种关系） make (an agreement) or form (relationship) with (sb)
　The woman claims that she contracted a form of marriage with the prisoner, who already has a wife.　这位妇女声称她与这个囚犯曾订立婚约，但他已经有了妻子。
　She had contracted an alliance with a wealthy man of rank.　她和一位有身份的富人联姻。
2. 与（某人或某公司）签订合同 make an agreement in law with (sb or a firm)
　The city council has contracted with White Company for the new building.　市议会已与怀特公司就建造新楼一事签了合同。
　They contracted with that factory for ten lathes.　他们和那家工厂立约购买10台车床。
　Our shop contracted with a clothing firm to buy 100 coats a week.　我们商店和一家服装公司签订合同，每周从那里买一百件外套。

 ♣ contract, abbreviate, abridge, condense, shorten
　这组词用于字词、段落、章节等时，都含有“删减”或“精简”的意思。它们的区别在于：
1. abridge, condense和shorten都可指压缩文章、著作的篇幅而内容不变， abridge比shorten更文雅；abbreviate主要用于删除音节、字母或单词而保留词头；contract通常指省略单词的中间部分，不包括只保留词头的词。
2. 表示“缩略成…”时， abbreviate, condense, contract和shorten常与介词to搭配；condense也常与介词into搭配。
 ♣ contract, compress, condense, shrink
　参见condense条。
 ♣ contract, covenant, engage, pledge, promise
　参见promise条。

C 契约，合同compact; pact

　break a ～　撕毁契约
　complete a ～　合同执行完毕
　dissolve a ～　解除合同
　write a ～　起草合同
　certain ～　确定的契约
　simple ～　口头契约
　void ～　无效契约
　agency ～　代理合同
　marriage ～　婚约
　insurance ～　保险契约
　～ party　签合同的一方
　by ～　根据合同
　law of ～　合同法
　parties to a ～　契约的双方
　under ～　根据合同
　～ for　…的契约
　～ of sales　买卖合同
　～ with　与…的契约

　Once you have reached formal agreement, you should enter into a contract with the other party.　你一旦达成正式协议，就应该和对方签订合同。
　How long ago did you sign the contract?　你多久以前签的合同?
　We can ill afford to lose this contract.　我们承受不起失去这份合同所带来的损失。

 ♣ contract, agreement, pact, treaty
　参见pact条。

　［同义词］ n. agreement